Prime Minister to confer awards in public administration on Civil Services Day

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will confer the `Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration’ for the years 2012–13 and 2013-14 to outstanding initiatives in Public Administration on the Ninth Civil Services Day which is being held here on April 21, 2015. To mark the Day, a two-day programme organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, begins on April 20, 2015 (AN).

A number of outstanding initiatives in Public Administration in three categories – Individual, Team and Organisation - have been selected for the award for the year 2012-13 and 2013-14, from across the country. Under this scheme of awards all officers of Central and State governments, individually or as a Team or as an Organisation, are eligible. The award includes a medal, scroll and a cash amount of Rs.1 lakh. In case of a team, the total award money is Rs.5 lakh subject to a maximum of Rs.1 lakh per person. For an organisation, this is limited to Rs. 5 lakh. 

Unlike previous years, the Civil Services Day which is being held on two days this year, focuses on ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ with specific sectoral emphasis on Social Sector, Housing, Employment & Skill Development and Agriculture. The related sessions would be chaired by senior Union Ministers viz. the Union Minister of Raiways, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani and other dignitaries Vice Chairman, NITI Ayog, Dr. Arvind Panagariya and the Professor from Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, Dr. Ashok Gulati. A number of eminent speakers in the respective fields are expected to deliberate on these issues of contemporary relevance and seek to address the challenges before the Civil Services in India and re-inventing government for efficient service delivery. 

During the event, a book on ‘Best Practices – Tomorrow is Here’ will also be released by the Prime Minister on April 21, 2015. 

This Day is being observed by all Civil Services to rededicate and recommit themselves to the cause of the people, since 2006. It provides a unique opportunity for introspection as also for working out future strategies to deal with the challenges being posed by the ever changing times.